I'm a Film Commissioner, Long Island International Film Expo Director, novelist, freelancer, ghost writer, casting director and producer. I don't know what lies ahead, but I'm sure it will be fun! Take my hand; join me on my journey.
"With regard to jobs and locations postings; Although I've worked with many of these people/companies before - please be advised that you contact them at your own risk and need to vet them for yourself. Caveat Emptor."

Friday, February 17, 2012

THE NEWSLETTER OF
THE FILMMAKERS CONNECTION
www.LONGISLANDFILM.COM
TODAY (FEB 17) IS THE LAST DAY FOR EARLY BIRD SUBMISSIONS TO THE LONG ISLAND INTERNATIONAL FILM EXPO (LIIFE) – YOU CAN STILL ENTER TILL 4/1 – BUT PRICES GO UP STARTING TOMORROW. ENTER ASAP AT www.longislandfilm.com Long Island, foreign, shorts, features, animations, students, documentaries, scriptwriting, trailers, music videos and more!! (Don’t forget to take your student and filmmakers connection discount!)

And we have formed some cool associations with Molloy College and Westbury Music Fair (NYCB Theatre at Westbury) – so stay tuned for new/offers and events from there.

The Finishing Fund Grants Applications are now available at www.longislandfilm.com If you’ve filmed in Nassau County or Suffolk County, and are a Filmmakers Connection Member, you could be eligible for a $500 for $1,000 grant. Applications will be available at the meetings. Cut-off date is March 31, 2012. Good luck!

A tentative Filmmakers Connection Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 7 at 7:00 pm at Five Towns College, 305 North Service Road, Dix Hills NY room 303. More info tba.

Filmmakers Panel Discussion!!
Last April’s panel discussion at Adelphi University was such a success that we have decided to do it again! Our event will take place at Adelphi’s Alumni House on Saturday, April 14th, 2012 from 1:00pm to 2:30pm! The details of the panel tba. The date, however, has been locked in, so be sure to mark it on your calendars!

In addition to the Filmmaker panel April at Adelphi University, we will also have a Film Financing panel at Molloy College on Saturday, May 19, 2012. Legal Counsel for the Long Island Film/TV Foundation, Marc Jacobson, will lead the discussion. This is a free event that will cover in detail the complex world of raising money to make your film. More details to follow.

If you’re interested in finding out up-to-the-minute information on film jobs that I hear about (both cast and crew) or locations needed for film/tv/commercials, plus other film related information (or my own personal musings), check www.debramarkowitz.blogspot.com You can also sign up for our twitter account below, and I will tweet whenever I have anything film-related of interest. Let’s keep the work here!! If you are a filmmaker/casting person who knows of any positions, I can post those for you as well. Please e-mail me details: Union or nonUnion, personnel needed, whether it’s a paid position, when, where and what. Thank you.
We’re now on Facebook, Twitter, Myspace AND have our own Youtube channel! Come join us at: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Long-Island-International-Film-Expo/125921132847, youtube at: http://www.youtube.com/user/LongIslandFilmExpo, myspace at: myspace.com/liifilmexpo and Twitter at: www.twitter.com/liintlfilmexpo.

If you had a film in the Long Island International Film Expo and have received a distribution deal (DVD, theatrical, and/or television), please send us a blurb and a link, and we’ll promote it for you on the Long Island International Film Expo facebook site.

If you have a home in Nassau County and would like to list it as a possible location for film/tv/commercial production, please contact debfilm@aol.com or call 516 571-3168.

If you have a business, service, or headshot you would like to bring to the attention of the dedicated audience that visits LongIslandFilm.com – consider placing a banner ad. They are quite reasonable. You will have your ad shown in random rotation for an entire year. Small banner ads are $150 – (120 x 60 pixels). Large banner ads are $300 (468 x 60 pixels). If interested, please e-mail your banner ad in the appropriate amount of pixels to debfilm@aol.com. Please include the URL you would like your ad to be connected to. You can pay by check to LIFTF, or by PalPay under “The Foundation” and then “Donations.” Just let us know when you send in your banner ad.

You can now pay for your membership to the Filmmakers Connection through PayPal on the www.LongIslandFilm.com website. Please be sure to include your name, address, phone #, e-mail address, which area of the film industry you are involved in (ex. Writer/director/producer) and whether or not you are already getting this newsletter by e-mail. Cost is $30 per year fee. If you are a student with current ID, it is $15 to join.)

If you would like to become a member (or renew your membership) of the Filmmakers Connection, please send $30, made out to the LIFTF to the Long Island Film/TV Foundation, c/o Bellmore Movies, 222 Pettit Avenue, Side Entrance, Bellmore, NY 11710. You may also pay at the meetings. The $30 membership fee entitles you to attend the Filmmakers Connection meetings for free. It also entitles you to discounts on Foundation functions such as the Long Island International Film Expo, the Awards Ceremony party, all mailings and newsletters, and (if all other criteria is met) a chance at winning the $1,000/$500 Finishing Fund Grant. (When you send in your $30, please be sure to include your name, address, phone number, e-mail address and how you are involved with the film industry, i.e. director, producer, voice overs, etc.) and whether you are already getting this newsletter by e-mail. If you are a student with appropriate college/high school ID, the cost is $15 to join for the year. If you do not join, you can still attend meetings for free.

Please be advised that the Foundation/Film Commissions/Film Offices are not responsible for speaker cancellations. Every effort will be taken to insure a speaker’s availability on the date mentioned. In case of a cancellation, every effort will be made to book an alternate speaker.

For information on the Long Island Film/TV Foundation contact Robert Hansen at 516 707-2237. For information about the Long Island International Film Expo, please contact Debra Markowitz at 516 571-3168.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Hi everyone, (This must be in Nassau County)
For feature film, Bitter Pill, a Steven Soderberg film, they're looking
for a home on the water to simulate Greenwich, CT, but they want to stay
in Nassau County. They also may have to hover a helicopter at the
home. This film stars Jude Law, Rooney Mara, Channing Tateum and
Catherine Zeta-Jones. They have a "decent" budget, but not a huge
budget. Village fees will have to be taken into account. They also have
60 person cast and crew as opposed to a usual 150 +, so it's more
manageable.
I've attached a representative photo.
They are looking for one day of exterior filming between April 10 and
the end of May. They may need to be able to hover a helicopter, which
would ideally base nearby, and bring in only for the shots, perhaps for a
total of about 4 hours throughout the day.
Please let me know if your area has this and would welcome this, based on the aesthetic and the helicopter requirement.
Also, they want the house to be ON the water. Their producer
specifically asked about Oyster Bay. How about your area? Please send
suggestions to debfilm@aol.com and reference Bitter Pill.
Thank you.
Debbie

Hello all, (These must be in Nassau County)
I am looking for the following locations:

1) For television pilot, The Carrie Diaries, they're looking for a barn. I recommended Old Bethpage Village Restoration, but do you have any other suggestions? If so, please reference The Carrie Diaries and e-mail to debfilm@aol.com

Naked in the Rain

About Me

Debra Markowitz is the Director of the Nassau County Film Office. In this capacity, Ms. Markowitz presides over the Nassau County Film Commission, now known as the Nassau County Film Advisory Board, and chairs as its Executive Director.
Ms. Markowitz also serves as Vice President of the Long Island Film/TV Foundation, Long Island’s most established and largest not-for-profit agency dedicated to the support and promotion of independent filmmaking. She also helped found the Long Island International Film Expo (LIIFE).
Debra Markowitz is also a freelance writer and novelist. The third book in her trilogy (following Naked in the Rain and Sarah and Caleb), Karmic Wind is set for release in 2013. For a complete list of her work, please visit her site, www.debramarkowitz.com.
An enthusiastic fellow filmmaker, Ms. Markowitz has acted as Casting Director, consultant, writer and producer on movie, television and commercial projects individually and with CastingKarma.
Debra Markowitz is also an avid yoga practitioner.